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Walking in Hampshire

Bishops Waltham Heritage Walk

Distance: 6.4km – 3.98 miles, 2 hours

OS Explorer maps: No 119

Structures along the route: 16 stiles.

Car Parking: Bishops Waltham pay & display

A little history of Bishop’s Waltham Palace.

Bishop’s Waltham Palace was built by Henry de Blois once Bishop of Winchester (1136) it was during the Civil War the Palace was destroyed on the orders of Oliver Cromwell and the ruins are all that remain.

Much of the old Palace can be found around the Town as it was used for building materials in the buildings that are still standing today.

From Station Roundabout follow railway path through level crossing gates. The branch line to Botley ran 13 trains a day before closing in 1962.

Join road and after 150m turn sharp right along the Pilgrim’s Trail, then left around pylon, following field edge to stile and cross over 2 stiles on left.

Turn right and follow stream. You have been following the route of Pilgrims Trail which goes from Winchester to Mon St Michel in Normandy.

Cross over Tangier Lane, named after the port of Tangier, being part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza, who passed this way from Portugal to marry King Charles II in 1662. Follow path to stile, then right diagonally down to bridge, and continue to road.

The tree line on the left horizon is the Park Lug, a boundary of the medieval deer park. For the nearby Palace.

Cross over Wintershill Road and follow signed footpath to main road.

Cross with care to short section of the Roman Road that ran from Winchester to Portchester. At junction, turn sharp right over stile and closely follow round right boundary to track junction.

Turn right into field and continue straight on, joining track, Cross road and after 4 stiles arrive via a permissive path at Claylands Local Nature Reserve. The clay pits date from roman times, with brickworks established in 1802. Follow path downhill to left and join road, then left at main road to return to roundabout.